New year = out with the old, in with the new! I’m offering 10% off any order in my shop for the month of
January. Simply enter the coupon code DOLLSALE2011 when purchasing and the discount is automatically applied. Happy shopping!
Search Results for: dolls
The winner is…
Congratulations Tonya, you are the winner of my hand dyed fabric giveaway!
A big thanks to all who entered and a huge welcome to new followers, I hope you enjoy this space.
I’m making plans for my Christmas giveaway now, stay tuned.
I’ve listed a couple of dolls in my Etsy shop.
Which direction to take? Advice please?!
I had thoughts of stocking my Etsy shop for Christmas but I feel (and have felt for some time) that I’m at a crossroads with my craft. I desperately want to make my passion for craft into a career but can’t decide what to do, it’s so frustrating!
I have sold a few dolls this year which is nice, however this is just pocket money, not an income. With dolls you put in a lot of work for a little money. I’d like to take the next step with hand dyeing and sell some fabrics but I’m not sure if there is any demand. Likewise with my embroidery patterns. It’s not that I mind putting in the work but I think it all comes back to my fear of failure that plagues me constantly.
I’ve failed before. In fact, any “business” or money making venture I’ve undertaken has ultimately failed. I see others succeeding at things I have failed at and I don’t know why.
My husband suggested that I try doing a market with my hand dyed fabrics just to see how it goes, which seems a good idea but would take a lot of work and organisation. It would also mean I would have to stop being such a hermit(ess).
Any advice would be very well received, in any case, thanks for “listening” š
My Melbourne Show entry
Hooray, finished in the nick of time!
A doll and her doll!
I used 3 different yarns for the big doll’s hair – sheep’s wool, mohair and alpaca in three colours.
If you’re braving the show this year please do pop in to the art and craft pavillion to see one of my dolls “in the cloth”. She (they!) will be in the Novelty Toy section.
Little embroidered wool felt shoes (recognise the bird print Nic?)
This will be my first entry into any art and craft competition so it’s quite exciting. Thanks to Nic from Yardage Design for the heads up and encouragement. Wish me luck!
Lil’ Mim sisters
I finished the other doll I was working on, her new owner loves the colour blue and has hazel eyes with brown hair. I decided to give her super long hair, I just love a doll with long hair.
This is the first time I’ve made a pair of dolls for sisters, I think it’s really beautiful that they’ll both have their own special doll for Christmas. These 2 are about 13 inches tall and made with the my usual favourites – cotton tricot, carded wool, mohair yarn and lovely prints for their dresses.
Last night I started work on my doll for the Melbourne Show, I’ve left it a little late, but it’s cool, she’ll get there!
Baby’s first waldorf softie
Well, she isn’t such a baby anymore, her first birthday is next month! Although she won’t be playing with dolls for a little while yet I think it is a beautiful first birthday gift.
I made this 12 inch doll’s body from soft flannel. I tried out a new hair technique and am very satisfied with the results, it’s very secure and lifelike with no long strands for busy little fingers to pull out. I can also add a pony tail later if it’s wanted.
Bub’s initial is embroidered so there can be no question of ownership (she does have two sisters after all!)
Off to the USA..
Not me unfortunately – my dolls are much better travelled than I am. This doll is being sent with her own hand dyed silk and flannel blanket.
Her dress is a lovely soft cotton velour and she has Hilco striped leggings. Her hair is a mohair blend. This colour hair is very popular, it seems lots of little girls have similar hair.
I’m so pleased to see sun streaming in the windows, I had asked Linda in South Africa to send some sunshine over here – it must have worked.
Today is trying to reorganise my sewing table – oh boy, it’s so out of hand!! Hope you have a great weekend, see you next week.
Beautiful crocheted beanies
These lovely beanies arrived in the mail today, just in time for the cold weather. They were crocheted by Kylie who is also a talented knitter. She even sent one for the boy which was very generous of her! I believe she will be offering some for sale in the not too distant future so keep your eyes peeled as these are gorgeously made.
Do you know how hard it is to keep a 10 month old still enough to take a photo?
Kylie and I traded home made crafts – the beanies for one of my dolls. A happy trade!
Thank you Kylie!
The Bonnie Babes Foundation
I have joined the Bonnie Babes Foundation as a volunteer. I will be sewing burial gowns for families who have lost a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth or prematurity.
This is a practice gown I made today, I’ll be making many more in a few different styles from my own patterns. Making dolls clothes has been a good preparation for this.
It brought tears to my eyes when I realised how tiny the gowns will be. I am so blessed to have safely delivered 4 healthy children. I have lost 2 babies to miscarriage at 10 weeks, but the burden seems very light compared to this reality. I hope my gowns will bring some sort of comfort to the grieving parents who receive them.
Interview with Poppy Bean and Bloss!
Now for my second interview with crafty women in business we meet Michelle from Poppy, Bean and Bloss. If you haven’t stopped by Michelle’s store yet it’s about time you did, she has a gorgeous variety of waldorf dolls and toys as well as sock monkeys and covered notebooks. I’m particularly fond of the outfits she makes for her dolls.
* What prompted you to start your business/how long have you been in business?
I launched my online store (http://www.poppybeanandbloss.com.au) in February 2008 but had probably spent 12 months before that working on designs and having toys tested for compliance with Australian Safety Standards. I started with sock monkeys (having made my first one as a present for my niece) and then I made my first doll, and haven’t looked back since. I really love making the dolls and seeing each one come alive. I still love the monkeys, but waldorf dolls are my passion now.
*What do you feel are the keys to a successful business?
I think the keys to a successful business are having a clear idea of what you want to achieve, drive, determination and lots of hard work. Running a business from home around a family also needs careful planning so family commitments don’t suffer.
* What advice can you give other crafty women wanting to start their own business?
Pricing is one of the hardest things – as well as covering material costs, you need to allow for your time and it is really hard to set a price that will allow you to really be compensated for your time.
Originality of design is another important factor. If you are going to be selling products made from someone else’s pattern make sure you have permission to use the pattern and credit the original designer. There are plenty of places to find inspiration, but whatever you are making to sell should reflect you as a craftsperson. For example, both my dolls and sock monkeys are traditional toys that have been around for a long time. I did however come up with my own patterns for the toys I make to sell, and I believe that I have added my own influence and style to these traditional toys.
You also need to consider the time that running a business takes up. You may well love crafting but you need to be prepared for all the administration in running an online store. Craft markets can be great, but will eat into your family time on the weekends too.
Having said that, don’t be afraid to give it a go. There are a lot of great places you can start to sell your product – madeit, etsy, and a lot of malls like the Crafty mamas Congo, Ozebaby and OzHandmade to name a few.
* Many people say “do what you love and the rest will fall into place”. Do you think this is true?
Sort of – I think that if you love what you are doing, it is easier to do the hard work to make a success of it.
www.poppybeanandbloss.com.au
Thank you Michelle for sharing your insights with us!
If you have a crafty (or craft related) business and would like to be featured here please contact me.